Augmented reality in an industrial setting requires a very high level of robustness from localization methods. At present, the estimation of the position of the device used is performed using markers. This technique means that it is possible to have a certain level of robustness only when a marker is visible. Moreover, the located device is localized in the frame of reference of the marker.
Furthermore, there are few devices that allow localization without using a marker. In order to have robust localization of the device, existing methods require a calibration step that is long and not very intuitive. This calibration step does not allow rapid use of the device and requires certain skills for the users.
Moreover, some positioning techniques reconstruct the environment, for example the SLAM (or Simultaneous Localization And Mapping), in real time. Localization in relation to a reconstructed environment is therefore obtained. This has several disadvantages. First of all, it is not possible to detect differences between what has been constructed and what has been drawn. In addition, the reconstructed environment may have element detection errors, for example. Thus, this technique lacks reliability especially in the field of maintenance or when a high level of precision is desired.
The devices that use augmented reality are, most often, devices that allow the display of information superimposed on an image or video.
In the prior art, the European Patent application EP 2201532 is known, which describes a local positioning device configured to determine the relative position of the device in relation to a target object. The device is mounted on a guided and graduated ball joint fixed to a tripod. The ball joint allows the azimuth and the angle of elevation to be determined, which need to be entered manually in order to define the position of the device. This device is therefore difficult to position and to displace in an industrial setting.